1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for cutting trees. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved rotary tree cutting apparatus for mounting to a tractor or other mobile vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices for cutting trees are well known. For example, known attachments for front end loaders for brush and tree clearing include V-shaped blades with saw teeth, hydraulic clippers, reciprocating saw blades, rotating saw blades, and the like. These attachments are typically secured to the end of the loader arm or boom of the front end loader or to the front of a bull dozer type vehicle.
A number of V-shaped blades for attaching to mobile vehicles for clearing brush and trees are disclosed in prior patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,699 (Dove) discloses a V-shaped blade with saw teeth arranged to cut brush and trees during forward movement of the vehicle on which it is mounted.
Other types of attachments for tree and brush clearing are also disclosed in prior patents. For example, a tree shear having a pair of pincer-type cutting blades is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,201 (Strickland et al.). A tree cutting apparatus having a pair of opposing arcuate blades rotatably mounted on a frame is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,873 (Marshall). A tree cutting apparatus having a single arcuate blade mounted for rotating in two directions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,971 (Marshall). A tree sawing machine having a reciprocating blade is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,089,341 (Jack, Jr.). A brush cutter work head having a circular blade 42 for attachment to a boom of a backhoe is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,752 (Milbourn).
The prior art devices described above are generally unsuitable for use on conventional tractors which are not equipped with front end loader boom arms, and are also generally unsuitable for use on small tractors to cut small trees. The operation of the prior art devices, particularly the V-shaped cutting blades, are often hard on the tires and other drive components of the vehicle on which they are mounted. The prior art devices also tend restrict visibility of the cutting blade by the operator during use.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for an improved rotary tree cutting device that can be mounted to a conventional tractor, and that will increase the efficiency of brush clearing and tree cutting operations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tractor-mounted rotary tree cutting device that solves the problems with the above-described conventional tree cutting devices.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotary tree cutting device with a single blade which will cut trees efficiently with only minimal power requirements.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary tree cutting device which is simple in operation, economical to manufacture, lightweight for connection to small tractors and other mobile vehicles, and capable of a long operating life.
In order to solve the problems with the prior art described above, the applicant has developed an improved rotary tree cutting device for mounting to tractors and other mobile vehicles. The tree cutting device includes a cutting assembly having a circular blade with a serrated outer edge, and a motor for rotatably driving the blade. A frame assembly for the tree cutter includes a first portion attached to the tractor frame, and a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion and providing an offset mounting location outside a wheel path of the tractor and slightly behind the front wheel. A pivot arm is pivotally connected to the offset mounting location for rotation about an axis transverse to the tractor""s direction of travel. The pivot arm supports the cutting assembly and is movable about the transverse axis between a lowered position in which at least a portion of the cutting edge of the circular blade is at ground level for cutting, and a raised position in which the cutting edge of the circular blade is elevated above ground level for traveling. With the tree cutting device of the present invention, the cutting blade is highly visible by an operator of the tractor, and the tractor can continue its forward movement after each tree is cut without driving over the felled trees.
Numerous other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.